Bulletin 2016. Addendum: Proposed. Emergent Policy Submissions. Please bring this Addendum, along with the Budget and By
Budget and Bylaws Bulletin 2016 Addendum:
Proposed Emergent Policy Submissions
Please bring this Addendum, along with the Budget and Bylaws Bulletin to the business session of the Spring General Meeting on June 6, 2016 at the Sheraton Hotel, Red Deer, Alberta.
Emergent Positions Policy Provisions Regarding emergent submissions for the 2016 Spring General Meeting, Governance Policy 10 – Association Policy Development Process provides the following: 3. Emergent Policy Positions 3.1 Emergent positions submitted by the membership for consideration at a General Meeting shall be submitted to the Policy Development Advisory Committee (PDAC) by 4:00 p.m. on the thirty-fifth (35) day prior to the first business day of a General Meeting (SGM 2016 deadline: May 1). The Policy Development Advisory Committee shall assess each emergent position to determine its compliance with the principles for Association policy. PDAC shall: 3.1.1 Reject positions that address issues which have arisen prior to the deadline for submission of regular policy positions; and 3.1.2 Cause to be announced, immediately after the emergent position has been placed on the floor of the General Meeting, rationale for and decisions reached regarding compliance of the proposed emergent resolution with the principles for Association policy. 3.2 Emergent positions arising after the deadline for submission of emergent issues will be addressed by the Policy Development Advisory Committee with a recommendation to the Executive Committee for disposition. 3.3 If the criteria defining an emergent position is not met, the matter may still be considered as an emergent position by the assembly if: 3.3.1 Consideration of the position is supported by a two-thirds majority of voting Full Member Boards, and 3.3.2 The mover makes available the wording of the policy position to all delegates. Summary The Policy Development Advisory Committee will review submissions and determine whether proposals comply with the principles for Association policy and meet the emergent criteria. If the committee determines a matter: • Complies, the procedural question will be asked of the assembly, prior to the adoption of the order paper, whether consideration as an emergent position is desired. The voting threshold is a simple majority (i.e. 50%+1, unweighted) to have it added to the order paper. • Does not comply, the matter may still be brought forward by the sponsoring board during the “consideration of emergent submissions” procedural motion, and the question of whether consideration as an emergent position is desired would be asked of the assembly. The voting threshold is a two-thirds majority (i.e. 66.67%, unweighted) to have it added to the order paper. 2
Motion 10EM/SGM 16
Sponsored by Calgary Catholic School District
BE IT RESOLVED … that the Alberta School Boards Association urge the provincial government to ensure that any amendments to the Municipal Government Act are protective of local school board autonomy for the management of existing school facilities, the planning, design, location and construction of new schools. Background provided by sponsoring board The Municipal Government Act (MGA) has been the focus of a two-year period of review by the province. At over 500 pages, the MGA is an important piece of legislation, with implications for many stakeholders provincially. It is expected that the revised MGA will receive First Reading later this spring, and is scheduled to be proclaimed in the fall of 2017. School boards are an important partner, and as such, the Board of Trustees of the Calgary Catholic School District was disappointed to learn that school boards in general, and in particular, the Alberta School Boards Association, were not invited to be part of the stakeholder consultation process. There are a number of elements under review with respect to the MGA that are of great interest to school boards. These elements include, but are not limited to; school closures, levies, reserve site, reserve use, reserve design, as well as the potential to review the mechanism for the collection of Education Property Taxes. Contemplations such as these have the potential to threaten the autonomy of locally elected school boards, who are optimally positioned to determine and meet the needs of their local communities. It is critical that the autonomy of locally elected school boards is protected as any amendments are integrated into the revised MGA. The Minister of Municipal Affairs has stated that there will be an opportunity relative to consultation of the amended MGA after First Reading; specifically during July and August 2016. It is this timeline that makes this an emergent motion. Third and Final Reading will take place before our Fall General Meeting, normally when proposed policy positions would be heard.
3
Motion 11EM/SGM 16
Sponsored by Edmonton Public School Board
BE IT RESOLVED … that membership in ASBA shall NOT be a requirement for boards to be eligible for continued participation in group benefits through ASEBP. Background provided by sponsoring board Current ASBA policy on Association Partnerships (p. 3-1) reads: Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan (ASEBP) The Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) takes the following positions with regard to the Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan Deed of Trust: 1 Membership in ASBA shall be a requirement for boards to be eligible for continued participation in group benefits through ASEBP; 2 ASEBP administration shall operate independently of the ASBA and the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) by reporting directly to the ASEBP Insurance Board; 3 The ASEBP Trust shall be solely responsible for any liabilities of the ASEBP plans or operation Section 5.3.1 of the ASEBP Deed of trust was amended in 1994, adding a new requirement that in order to participate in ASEBP, a school board must either be a member of the ASBA, or be approved for participation by the parties to the deed. This amendment does not align with the Alberta School Boards Association Act, which provides that ASBA membership is voluntary, not mandatory, and was made without the District’s approval, with the result that the Board feels that it has been deprived of its statutory right to choose ASBA membership, or not. This amendment would bring the ASBA back in conformance with the Alberta School Boards Association Act, and would make it more responsive to its member boards, leading to greater member satisfaction and a stronger ASBA. Lastly and most importantly, it would promote and honour local autonomy for all boards. The original agreement which was a contract between individual boards and the ASEBP had no such conditions. We believe that the ASBA had no right to change the terms of a contract between boards and an insurance provider which is an independent and separate entity, and which is entirely funded by premiums paid by the member boards, and to which ASBA makes no payments or contributions. We believe that if this option were open, there would be an incentive for the ASBA to reform some of its practices, and thereby strengthen the ASBA and create greater unity within the ASBA. When member boards feel the organization is responsive to their needs, and governed in a democratic and open manner, there would be no desire on the part of member boards to leave the organization. 4
Motion 12EM/SGM 16
Sponsored by Edmonton Public School Board
BE IT RESOLVED … that the Alberta School Boards Association support its members school boards in establishing and maintaining welcoming, inclusive, safe and healthy learning and working environments for all members of the school community, including sexual orientation and genders minority students, staff and families. This includes provision of support with policy development and related resources. Background provided by sponsoring board This was our EPSB emergent motion from the Fall General Meeting 2016 that did make the floor. This is separate motion than that from the Ministerial Guidelines for individual boards. If passed, this motion would lead to the creation of a policy on the ASBAs books to guide the work/advocacy of the association in future. Here is text from Trustee Nathan Ip’s Blog Post: Fundamental human rights is not an issue that should be politicized – that is why I am calling again on ASBA to develop a policy and a clear position to guide and support its member boards in the important work ahead. ASBA in the past 5 years alone has developed policies on defibrillators and oil wells and yet has chosen to remain silent on Bill 10 and the support of LGBTQ students. Absent a policy position, it will be difficult for the ASBA to take a principled approach. Only a policy by the organization can result in the necessary followthrough and inspire meaningful dialogue from its members.
5
Motion 13EM/SGM 16
Sponsored by Elk Island Public Schools
BE IT RESOLVED … that school boards be exempted from carbon tax (carbon levy) or to be fully rebated the cost of the carbon tax. Background provided by sponsoring board April 14 2016 the Alberta Government released its budget where details of the carbon tax was shared. Early details indicate that only households will be eligible to receive a full or partial rebate. Starting January 2017 School Boards will be expected to pay 4.5 cents per liter for gas to operate their fleet vehicles, 5.35 cents per liter for diesel for their school buses and $1 per gigajoule to heat its facilities. January 2018 these taxes will rise to 6.7 cents per liter for gas, 8 cents per liter for diesel and $1.52 per gigajoule. School Boards already struggle with the fuel escalator component of the student transportation funding formula and will further struggle with the addition of the carbon levy. School buses reduce the number of vehicles on the road significantly as they transport thousands of students to and from school everyday. Without buses, parents would be responsible to transport their own child(ren) to and from school every day. Due to challenges experienced with funding, Boards already incorporate efficiencies in how they use their fleet of buses. They reduce the number of buses required through the use of transfer stations, double/triple busing and cooperative/collaborative busing to keep costs down. With School Boards already strained under the current funding model it is reasonable to expect that Boards will have to resort to passing on this additional cost to parents by increasing transportation fees to families. Across the province school facilities play an important role in our communities. After hours, school facilities spaces are rented/lease to community groups who have limited resources. These spaces are rented/leased on a cost recovery to these community groups. In order to keep the lights on and the building heated during after school hours, Boards will have no choice but to pass these costs onto users. School Boards are dependent on the government for their revenue. We struggle to understand the benefit of the government providing us funds to operate only for us to give it back to the government through a carbon levy. School Boards have limited budgets and are continually trying to finds ways to cut costs and become more efficient with limited resources as we strive to meet the needs of students in the classroom. 6
